


19-Across

by PuggleFiclets (Pugglemuggle)



Series: Merlin One-Shot Collection - Summer Pornathon [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blow Jobs, Crossword Puzzles, Dumb boys being dumb, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Summer Pornathon 2015, a few inaccuracies, but ya know, like why the hell do they always manage to catch exactly the same tube?, london tube, who cares because they get to have sex at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 02:10:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5725810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pugglemuggle/pseuds/PuggleFiclets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leaving your unfinished crossword puzzles on the Tube every morning isn't supposed to get you into flirting battles with attractive strangers, but then, when do things in Merlin's life ever go according to plan?</p>
            </blockquote>





	19-Across

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was originally written for Round One of the [Merlin Summer Pornathon of 2015](http://summerpornathon.livejournal.com/) and won second place in its section. The prompt was "Cross". The other works from this round can be found [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4472756?view_full_work=true).

It starts, as many of these things do, on the Tube.

He always likes to do a crossword on his way to work in the morning, and he sometimes leaves it behind in the seat when he gets off the carriage. There’s nothing particularly remarkable about this little routine of his until one day, he gets back on in the afternoon and sees the very same paper sitting on the seat again, exactly where he left it—except now the entire crossword is _finished_ , filled out with neat, careful handwriting. It feels deliberate, like a challenge.

And with that, it’s bloody _on_ , dammit.

·····

The next day, he makes sure to fill out the whole bloody crossword. When he catches the tube in the afternoon, the paper is still sitting on the seat in the same place as before. He’s a little disappointed, and he’s about to throw it out when he notices a few scribbles that hadn’t been there before.

 _17-Across is supposed to be ‘calling’ and not ‘mission’, which means 17-Down can’t be ‘mic’,_ the note says. _Also, you’ve misspelled ‘machinists’ (2-Across)._

The note shouldn’t make him feel this personally affronted, but it does.

·····

He begins making a habit of leaving the crosswords behind. Sometimes they come back completed with the word “OBVIOUS” written in large, annoying letters, and Merlin will reply with the word “SNOB” in equally large print. They go back and forth on a particularly difficult Wednesday puzzle for almost a week. He finally picks up the completed puzzle on a Tuesday afternoon with the word _‘TAPER!!!’_ written in dark, enthusiastic lettering, surrounded by several circles for emphasis. Merlin smiles despite himself.

·····

19-Across: E-A-G-E-R-L-Y

_Obviously it’s not that, you daft loser. You know it can’t be a bloody adverb!_

The next day, Merlin tries again.

19-Across: P-I-L-L-O-C-K

·····

Sometimes, Merlin thinks that this feels absurdly like flirting.

·····

One day, he decides he wants to meet this bloke. It’s been a month, so why not? That’s how he finds himself still on the tube one morning long after his stop, seated next to a supremely hot stranger who is _exactly_ Merlin’s type and is currently writing in the crossword Merlin left for him.

And Merlin has no idea what to say. He must have some kind of really ridiculous expression on his face, because the crossword bloke _notices_ , and says, “Are you alright, mate?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” he stammers quickly, and then pauses. “You’re the, um….” He gestures helplessly at the crossword puzzle.

The man stares back at him blankly for a moment before recognition sparks. “Oh! You’re him—you’re the sod who keeps littering crosswords!”

“Oi, I don’t _litter_ them,” Merlin replies defensively. “I leave them on the seat.”

“Hm,” the man says, then starts scribbling something on the newspaper before handing it back to him. “Here. You’ve been gagging for it.”

Merlin takes the paper, still a little caught off guard, and looks at the top where a neat string of digits has been written. “It’s a phone number,” he states blankly. Then, “Oh, shit. That’s a little presumptuous, don’t you think?”

“I think ‘presumptuous’ would be asking you if you like pub food, because there’s a nice little bar just down the street from my flat.”

“Oh really?” Merlin says. “Why should I? I don’t even know you.”

“We’ve been talking for a month, and you say you don’t know me? I’m hurt,” the man replies. “My name’s Arthur, by the way.”

“I’m Merlin,” he says, then considers Arthur’s proposition for a moment. “You know what? Yeah, I’d go for some chips after work.” he says eventually, grinning. “I guess you’re not _that_ bad looking.”

·····

Arthur is a sly fucker, Merlin thinks with his back pressed against the wall of Arthur’s flat. Merlin doesn’t normally do this sort of thing, but Arthur is charming and hot, and he kind of likes him, so normalcy can kindly fuck off.

“ _Shit_ ,” Arthur murmurs lowly when Merlin starts to fumble with his zip.

“Just take them off, you massive pillock,” Merlin says.

“Don’t you mean 19-Across?” Arthur quips, but he obliges all the same. Merlin sucks in a sharp breath.

“Fuck…” He drops to his knees.

They’re still almost completely dressed, and they’ve barely made it past the door to Arthur’s flat, and this whole situation is just bloody _absurd_ , but he takes Arthur’s dick into his mouth anyway. Above him, Arthur lets out a muffled groan that goes straight to Merlin’s own cock.

“Pretty nice reward for littering, eh?” Arthur pants.

“Shut up,” Merlin replies, voice muffled, but he’s laughing anyway. He thinks he might sort of really like this crosswords bloke.


End file.
